A WOMAN has been praised for her ‘outstanding commitment’ to helping premature babies after donating 100 litres of her own breast milk in just three months.

Elisabeth Devey, 35, from Rishton, gave birth to surrogate twins last year.

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As she would be naturally producing milk she decided to set herself the 100 litre challenge for the Northwest Human Milk Bank.

Elisabeth who works as a support worker at Burnley ante-natal unit advising mums on baby feeding, is married to Gareth, 30 and has two sons, Anderson, five and Grayson, four.

She said: “I was very aware that the milk bank was always in need of donations, especially for premature babies where if formula milk is used to feed them they are at more risk of infection.

“I’ve had to be pretty disciplined but have been able to express around five to eight times a day and have been double pumping to keep the volume up.

“The milk is kept in sterile conditions and then sent to the bank.

“It felt good to reach the 100 litre target and I’m just glad that the natural consequences of my surrogate pregnancy have led to another positive outcome.”

Emma Savage, support manager at the Northwest Human Milk Bank, said: “On behalf of all of us at the milk bank I want to say a huge thank you to Elizabeth for her outstanding commitment to donating.

“Her milk will have helped many babies in the 50 hospitals throughout England and Wales supplied by the Northwest Human Milk Bank and she should be really proud of her contribution.

“We are extremely grateful for all the donations we receive, but it’s not every day people reach a 100-litre landmark and it’s great that as a surrogate mother she chose to do this.”

The Northwest Human Milk Bank is the largest human milk bank in the country.

On average they process 2,000 litres of donated breastmilk each year.

The bank can supply donor breastmilk anywhere in England and Wales and they aim to make safe, screened donor milk available to any baby that needs it regardless of the location of their birth.